This invention relates primarily to reinforcement bar connectors for construction joints between concrete deck forms for bridges, and for providing light-weight concrete deck forms for bridges, with the mechanical bar connectors being useful also for any reinforced concrete structure, to connect the reinforcement bars.
In recent years, vehicles that are heavier and faster-moving, with their constant pounding on bridges, have presented problems of reliability and durability for the concrete decks of bridges to a significant extent. Of course, bridge superstructures have been made more redundant and it has been attempted to reduce the dead weight of the bridge. In making these changes, it has become increasingly important to quickly accomplish any bridge repairs in order to avoid prolonged traffic congestion. Therefore, it would be helpful to provide simple, reliable and durable deck forms and connectors in a manner which confronts not only the goals of a quicker installation time, but also to meet the requirements of safety in concrete bridge deck construction, but also for repair on bridges.
Also, it is an urgent need in this area, to provide a construction and installation element for bridges, which allows for prefabrication without sacrificing durability and reliability, in order to further shorten the time period for interrupting traffic during construction or repair of such bridges.
Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a light-weight and durable, and yet reliable structure for a concrete bridge deck form.
It is a further and more particular object of the present invention to provide a structure for a concrete bridge deck form which is capable of prefabrication and installation, in a quick and reliable manner.
These and other objects of the present invention are provided in a bridge deck form which features preferred and alternative embodiments of light-weight concrete deck forms for bridges and reinforcement bar connectors for easy installation, which enables prefabrication thereof and quick and reliable installation, as well as durability. The form itself includes reinforcement bars, longitudinal beam stiffeners and thin plates, welded to the beam stiffeners. In the preferred embodiment, the thin plates are attached to the bottom flanges of the longitudinal beam stiffeners, whether they be in the form of T-beams or I-beams. For that preferred embodiment, the thin plate is corrugated with hills and valleys, and with the valleys occurring approximately midway between longitudinal beam stiffeners, and the xe2x80x9chillsxe2x80x9d attached to the bottom flange of the longitudinal beam stiffeners. In an alternative embodiment, the thin plate is planar, attached to the bottom flanges and generally planar therewith. In either event, for the preferred embodiment or the alternative embodiment mentioned above, the space below the concrete slab, between the thin plate and the top portion or top flange (inverted T-beam and I-beam, respectively) of each longitudinal beam stiffener has filler material (styrofoam or similar material). A further alternative embodiment does not have filler material of styrofoam or similar material, as with the preferred and first alternative embodiments, but instead the thin plate attaches in a generally planar configuration to web plates near the upper portion of the longitudinal beam stiffeners. For purposes of quick and reliable fabrication at the site of the bridge, a preferred and alternative mechanical connector for the above prefabricated deck forms includes a male connector element and a female connector element, wherein each includes V-shaped grooves occupying less than one-quarter of the circumference for the male member and the female member at two opposed positions of the circular shape. Accordingly, with the balance of the circular male element and female opening hole having smooth surfaces, the connection between the members for connecting reinforcement bars, requires only insertion and a quarter turn to mechanically connect reinforcement bars of concrete slab elements. Therefore, original fabrication of bridge decks, with prefabricated concrete slabs is quick and reliable; and replacement of broken concrete slabs is also quick and reliable.